Why should you use a search strategy?

To ensure you will find relevant material

To save you time when searching databases

Using a search engine such as Google to search for items on "The depletion of the ozone layer and the impact on health," you would use the words:

Impact, depletion, ozone layer, health

You have to write a paper on the “treatment of depression”. Which search strategy would find the least number of documents:

Depression AND psychotherapy AND antidepressants

Depression AND psychotherapy Depression AND psychotherapy

Depression OR psychotherapy OR antidepressants

Depression AND psychotherapy AND antidepressants

When conducting a systematic/literature review what is it important to do?

Use the same strategy for each database

Use a different search strategy for each database

Use the same strategy for each database

If you have searched using your topic keywords and you aren’t retrieving many results, what should you always do?

Use synonyms for your search terms

Use only the results you've retrieved

If you wanted to search for documents with the words cancer, cancerous or cancers what would you type in the search box?

Cancer AND cancerous AND cancers

Search Strategy Quiz Questions With Answers

1.

Why should you use a search strategy?
- A.
  
  To focus your searching
- B.
  
  To ensure you will find relevant material
- C.
  
  To save you time when searching databases
- D.
  
  All of the above
Correct Answer
D. All of the above

Explanation
D is correct. Before you begin searching a subject database for relevant material for your assignment it is crucial to plan your search, as you might plan a shopping list. Focusing your search topic, thinking of a list of keywords and limits will save you time and help you find highly relevant material.

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0
1
2.

Using a search engine such as Google to search for items on "The depletion of the ozone layer and the impact on health," you would use the words:
- A.
  
  Impact, depletion, ozone layer, health
- B.
  
  Ozone layer, health
- C.
  
  Ozone layer
- D.
  
  Skin cancer, ozone layer
- E.
  
  None of the above
- F.
  
  Don't know
Correct Answer
A. Impact, depletion, ozone layer, health

Explanation
A is correct. Picking out and using only the main keywords will make your searches more efficient.

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3.

You are looking for articles written about East Germany before 1990, how would you refine your search?
- A.
  
  By language
- B.
  
  By date
- C.
  
  By article type
- D.
  
  By author
Correct Answer
B. By date

Explanation
B is correct. Limiting your search by date will allow you to search for articles written before 1990. You can refine your search in many ways, date being just one of them. If you wanted to restrict your search to articles written in English you can limit by language. Putting limits on your search term is another way of filtering out irrelevant material.

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4.

You have to write a paper on the “treatment of depression”. Which search strategy would find the least number of documents:
- A.
  
  Depression AND psychotherapy Depression AND psychotherapy
- B.
  
  Depression OR psychotherapy OR antidepressants
- C.
  
  Depression AND psychotherapy AND antidepressants
- D.
  
  Depression
- E.
  
  Don't know
Correct Answer
C. Depression AND psychotherapy AND antidepressants

Explanation
C is correct. By adding more keywords to your search using AND you are narrowing the amount of articles you will bring up. In contrast, using OR will broaden your search.

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5.

When conducting a systematic/literature review what is it important to do?
- A.
  
  Use a different search strategy for each database
- B.
  
  Use the same strategy for each database
- C.
  
  Only use one database
- D.
  
  Don't use a strategy
Correct Answer
B. Use the same strategy for each database

Explanation
B is correct. It’s important to use the same, successful, search strategy for each database you search. This way you will be more efficient, you won’t have to spend time recreating a strategy and your results will be consistent.

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6.

If you have searched using your topic keywords and you aren’t retrieving many results, what should you always do?
- A.
  
  Use synonyms for your search terms
- B.
  
  Use a different database
- C.
  
  Use only the results you've retrieved
- D.
  
  Don't know
Correct Answer
A. Use synonyms for your search terms

Explanation
A is correct. You could try using a different database but you will probably find you have the same problem. By using synonyms and similar search terms you will increase your chances of finding what you need.

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7.

If you wanted to search for documents with the words cancer, cancerous or cancers what would you type in the search box?
- A.
  
  Cancer, cancerous OR cancers
- B.
  
  Cancer, cancerous AND cancers
- C.
  
  Cancer*
- D.
  
  Cancer AND cancerous AND cancers
Correct Answer
C. Cancer*

Explanation
C is correct. By shortening a word to it’s stem (truncation) and adding a wildcard symbol the database will look for articles including cancer plus any endings. This not only saves you having to type in each ending, but also saves you having to remember every ending to a word. NB The wildcard symbol is not always an asterisk. Check the help pages of each database to find out which wildcard they use.

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8.

Which search strategy is also called a blind search?
- A.
  
  Uninformed search
- B.
  
  Citation searching
- C.
  
  Informed searching
- D.
  
  Boolean search
Correct Answer
A. Uninformed search

Explanation
The term "blind search" refers to a search strategy where the algorithm has no information about the problem or the state space being searched. Uninformed search is a type of search strategy where the algorithm has no knowledge or heuristic information about the problem domain, and it explores the search space without any guidance. Therefore, uninformed search is also known as a blind search. Citation searching, informed searching, and Boolean search are not blind searches as they involve some form of knowledge or guidance in the search process.

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9.

How many types are there in uninformed search method?
- A.
  
  2
- B.
  
  3
- C.
  
  4
- D.
  
  5
Correct Answer
D. 5
10.

How many successors are generated in backtracking search?
- A.
  
  1
- B.
  
  2
- C.
  
  3
- D.
  
  4
Correct Answer
A. 1

Explanation
Backtracking search generates only one successor at a time. It explores a path until it reaches a dead end or finds a solution. If it reaches a dead end, it backtracks to the previous decision point and explores another path. This process continues until a solution is found or all possible paths have been explored. Therefore, only one successor is generated in backtracking search.

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Search Strategy Quiz Questions With Answers

Why should you use a search strategy?

Using a search engine such as Google to search for items on "The depletion of the ozone layer and the impact on health," you would use the words:

You are looking for articles written about East Germany before 1990, how would you refine your search?

You have to write a paper on the “treatment of depression”. Which search strategy would find the least number of documents:

When conducting a systematic/literature review what is it important to do?

If you have searched using your topic keywords and you aren’t retrieving many results, what should you always do?

If you wanted to search for documents with the words cancer, cancerous or cancers what would you type in the search box?

Which search strategy is also called a blind search?

How many types are there in uninformed search method?

How many successors are generated in backtracking search?